HRC launches $26 million campaign to fight anti-LGBTQ legislation

The Human Rights Campaign is “rising up” to take a stand against anti-LGBTQ politics with its largest grassroots expansion in its 37-year history.

The national LGBTQ rights advocacy group recently announced its $26 million campaign, “HRC Rising” to gear up to fight anti-LGBTQ legislation, the Trump/Pence agenda and fuel pro-equality candidates ahead of the 2018 elections.

HRC will bring on 20 full-time staff, which according to the organization’s news release, are a mix of political, field, communications, digital, and volunteer engagement employees, joining over 24 existing staff on the effort.

According to the release, the new staff will work with HRC’s 32 volunteer-led committees to recruit individuals for the cause, register voters and grow the organization’s efforts to go up against the current administration to fight for LGBTQ rights.

“It’s not enough to resist the hateful policies and attacks coming from the Trump-Pence regime — we’ve got to accelerate the pace of progress toward full equality and secure protections for LGBTQ people in states and communities across the country…” said HRC President Chad Griffin on the HRC blog.“…Our grassroots army of over 3 million has proven that, even in the face of unprecedented challenges, we can make incredible progress and defeat the hateful politicians who’ve been emboldened by Donald Trump when we organize and mobilize. The power and determination of the 10 million LGBTQ voters and our allies across America will only continue to grow stronger in the face of discriminatory attacks on our rights and freedoms.”

HRC Rising’s effort is nationwide, but the campaign will focus a huge part of its efforts in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada.

The group is building on the efforts it made in the past over the defeat of the HB2 bill and backing if pro-LGBTQ candidates such as U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire.

HRC and Equality North Carolina organized more than 250,000 LGBTQ voters and allies across North Carolina and built a campaign against HB2. On Election Day, according to HRC, 57 percent of voters said the law was their top reason to vote against McCrory. This was the result of significant, long-term investment and staff deployment on the ground in North Carolina.

You can hear more about HRC’s new expansion campaign in the video below:

To join HRC Rising, find out more information and pledge your name to the effort, visit their page here or text Rising to 30644.

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